Department for Transport

M11: Litter

lord black of brentwood: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the state of litter collection on the M11 motorway.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: I understand that Highways England’s assessment litter collection on the M11 is that it meets their obligations under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The M11 is inspected weekly and where excessive litter has accumulated, picking is quickly carried out to ensure that Highways England remains compliant with the current requirements of the Act. However, as part of a new initiative, Highways England will be identifying areas where litter is most prominent; and will be dedicating resources to tackle these areas. The M11 near Junction 6 has been identified as one of these areas; and the operational team has been charged with ensuring a lasting improvement to this area.

Railway Stations

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 21 December 2016 (HL 4153), whether they plan to ensure that all new railway platform work will be carried out to the British specification of 915mm height in anticipation of leaving the EU; and what plans are being developed to bring all UK train platforms up to that standard.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: There is not a requirement to modify all UK platforms to meet a height of 915 mm but if upgrade work is carried out this is currently the applicable height. For platforms on new railways, such as HS2, this height may be too low to facilitate level boarding and the application of alternative heights is being considered.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Homelessness

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the key factors which have determined changes in the levels of homelessness in England and Wales since 2015.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Homelessness is rarely just a housing issue. It is often the result of a combination of related issues including health, education, justice, welfare and employment.That is why we are taking action across government, including through the Ministerial Working Group convened by DCLG, to make sure all departments are working together to tackle homelessness.We are overhauling homelessness data to give us an even clearer understanding of the underlying causes and, most importantly, what really works to prevent and relieve homelessness.We are investing over £500 million to tackle homelessness - including our £50 million Homelessness Prevention Programme - and we are supporting Bob Blackman's Homelessness Reduction Bill, to improve the support available for those facing a homelessness crisis and to ensure that people get help earlier to prevent their homelessness in the first place. Local authorities will be provided with £61 million of new burdens funding to carry out their new duties under the Bill.

Sleeping Rough

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the average number of rough sleepers in England on each night in 2017; whether that figure has increased since 2010, and if so, by how much; and what strategy they have to tackle rough sleeping in the UK.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The government publishes an annual single night snapshot of rough sleeping in England. This year, we published demographic data on rough sleepers for the first time. This covers gender, age and nationality. The latest statistics (attached) can be found on gov.uk.https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/585713/Rough_Sleeping_Autumn_2016_Statistical_Release.pdfWe overhauled the methodology for counting rough sleepers in 2010, so that now every council has to report the scale of the problem in their area.We are taking action to prevent and reduce rough sleeping. We are investing £20 million in 48 projects to help new rough sleepers, or people at imminent risk of sleeping rough, get the support they need. As well as this, we have provided £10 million of funding for eight Social Impact Bonds to provide targeted support for up to 1,200 single homeless people with complex needs.



Latest Statistics on Rough Sleeping
(PDF Document, 696.43 KB)

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Juhel Miah

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the US Embassy concerning the removal of Juhel Miah on a flight to the US; and what reason has been given for his removal.

baroness anelay of st johns: Mr Miah was removed from a flight leaving Reykjavik. Officials have discussed Mr Miah's case with the US Embassy in London and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Iceland. The US authorities do not comment on individual cases but have confirmed the incident is not related to President Trump's January 27 Executive Order, which has in any case been suspended. We have provided Mr Miah with consular support and will continue to offer assistance to any British nationals that require it, but US immigration decisions are a matter for the US authorities.

Turkey: Politics and Government

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the situation of Turkish parliamentarians, following the lifting of immunity and the arrest of members of the HDP; and what is their response to the revocation of the parliamentary membership of Figen Yüksekdağ.

baroness anelay of st johns: We regularly discuss governance and rule of law issues with the government of Turkey. Most recently, the Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), rasied these issues during her visit to Turkey on 28 January. We expect Turkey to undertake any legal processes against MPs fairly, transparently and with full respect for the rule of law. We are following the case of Figen Yüksekdağ and other imprisoned MPs closely, having joined an EU statement expressing concern over their detention in November last year.

Department for Education

Teachers: Training

baroness smith of basildon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Nash on 30 January (HL Deb, col 972), what level of funding has been spent on subject enhancement courses every year since 2010.

lord nash: Spend on subject knowledge enhancement courses for each year since 2010 are as follows:Financial YearSpend on Subject Knowledge Enhancement Courses2010-11£14,604,6592011-12£16,096,8482012-13£18,092,3212013-14£16,633,8622014-15[1]£13,930,1992015-16£20,678,828 [1] Low spend in FY 2014-15 can be attributed to the transition from allocations to a claims-based system during AY 2013/14, which overlapped with the early stages of FY 2014-15, meaning that significantly fewer claims were processed.

Agriculture: Apprentices

baroness byford: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the introduction of the revised system of Trailblazer Apprenticeship funding commencing in May, whether they will review the funding allocation for level 2 agricultural apprentices studying at land-based colleges.

baroness byford: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to re-defining land-based apprenticeships as STEM subjects.

lord nash: From May 2017, frameworks in some sector subject areas will incorporate a STEM uplift on the basis that employers were previously more likely to make additional contributions to the costs of training in these areas. We sought evidence on what sector subject areas should be included in the policy for 2017/18, prior to the policy being confirmed last October, and will monitor the market response as the policy takes effect. We are also moving the market away from frameworks to standards, which are higher quality and more rigorous. We recognise this in the new system by allocating higher funding bands to apprenticeship standards, relative to equivalent frameworks, where appropriate. Over the course of the parliament, we will phase out the current apprenticeship frameworks so that all new apprentices undertake standards. The agriculture sector has good emerging coverage in terms of standards, with land-based engineering already in delivery, and more under development.

Pupils: Personal Records

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when requests for access made by (1) the Border Force, and (2) the police, to (a) the National Pupil Database (NPD), and (b) the new children’s nationality database, will be included in the published NPD list of third-party data requests.

lord nash: The data collected on children’s nationality is for internal DfE use only and will not be shared with any external organisations. The Department for Education has already made this commitment.The Department has also committed to bringing together the range of existing guidance and information on the use of pupil data by other government departments over the coming months. DfE intends that this will provide users with improved access and signposting to supporting information. This will include The Memorandum of Understanding with the Home Office alluded to under (1), and the occasional request of an individual record of data by the police alluded to under (2).

Education

lord watson of invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the White Paper Educational Excellence Everywhere (Cm 9230) published in March 2016, which stated that they would review the responsibilities of local authorities in relation to children, including the implications for the role of Director of Children’s Services, what progress has been made on the review, whether someone has been appointed to lead the review, and if so, who.

lord nash: As set out in the March 2016 White Paper, the Department has been reviewing the role of the Local Authority in education and children’s services. In July 2016 we established an Expert Advisory Board (EAB), chaired by Alan Wood, a former Director of Children’s Services. The EAB met several times through the Summer and Autumn last year. These issues are now being considered as part of the Government’s priorities for the school system and we expect to say more in due course.

The Senior Deputy Speaker

Parliament: Internet

lord pearson of rannoch: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker, further to his Written Answer on 1 February (HL 4961), whether he will give an instruction for the unblocking of the Religion of Peace website on the Parliamentary Estate; and if not, why not.

lord mcfall of alcluith: Access to the Religion of Peace website has been blocked on the Parliamentary Estate because it has been classified as a religion-based hate website by the Parliamentary Digital Service’s industry standard categorising service. As a result there are no plans for the website to be unblocked.

Peers: Per Capita Costs

lord pearson of rannoch: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what is the average cost to the British taxpayer, including salary and expenses but excluding building maintenance costs, of a member of the House of Lords.

lord mcfall of alcluith: For the 2015-16 financial year the cost of the House of Lords excluding Estates and Works expenditure and non-cash costs (e.g. depreciation) was £67,932,000. As at 31 March 2016 there were 814 members, making the average cost of a member on this basis £83,000.

Ministry of Defence

GKN: Yeovil

lord touhig: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Earl Howe on 9 January (HL Deb, col 1728), what steps are being taken to maintain the skilled workforce at GKN Yeovil.

earl howe: This Government fully recognises the capabilities of the UK aviation sector and the contribution that its skilled people make to our defence capability and national prosperity. This includes those engaged in supporting our helicopter capabilities in Yeovil. GKN has offered to relocate all of its skilled employees affected by the closure of its Yeovil site and, where individuals are not able to relocate, the Government has been providing support. The best way to maintain the skilled workforce is through a thriving and competitive aerospace industry. The Ministry of Defence has a ten-year Strategic Partnering Arrangement in place with Leonardo Helicopters, and anticipates spending around £3 billion with the company over the next decade to upgrade and support our helicopter fleets. This, together with the work that the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is doing on the Aerospace Growth Partnership and the Defence Growth Partnership, will undoubtedly be of benefit to the wider Yeovil region.

Eastern Europe: Armed Forces

lord touhig: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Earl Howe on 30 January (HL Deb, col 969), whether the defensive deployment of British forces in Estonia and Poland is being kept under review.

lord touhig: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Earl Howe on 30 January (HL Deb, col 969), whether the Armed Forces have the capacity to increase the number of troops stationed in Estonia and Poland.

earl howe: The UK and NATO constantly monitor the threats to the Euro-Atlantic security environment. The Enhanced Forward Presence we are deploying to the Baltic States and Poland is defensive in nature, but combat capable, and we will configure our forces appropriately in response to the challenges we face in the region. This may include adjusting the size and composition of our contributions over time.

Home Office

Asylum: Children

the lord bishop of durham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many spontaneous arrivals of unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors were recorded in Kent during (1) October to December 2015, and (2) October to December 2016.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office publishes the number of asylum applications from Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children, each quarter in table as_08_q of the Immigration Statistics release. The latest figures are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-october-to-december-2016/list-of-tables#asylum.



Table - 08_q - Immigration Stats - Oct-Dec 2016
(Excel SpreadSheet, 971.8 KB)

Refugees: Syria

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many unaccompanied Syrian children are estimated to be in the EU; how many of those have been resettled, and in which EU countries; and how many have come to the UK as a result of the scheme under section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016.

baroness williams of trafford: Eurostat figures for UASC claims in 2015: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/2995521/7244677/3-02052016-AP-EN.pdf/(NB 2016 data on UASC claims is only available for a few countries, not including UK, and so not yet useable).Less than 10 Syrian National Children have been transferred to the UK under section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016.



Europa - eurostat pdf 
(PDF Document, 89.91 KB)

Refugees: Syria

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many unaccompanied Syrian children will be admitted to the UK before the scheme under section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016 is ended; and what urgent action they are taking in place of that scheme to help vulnerable Syrian refugee children in Europe.

baroness williams of trafford: The Government’s strategy is to resettle the most vulnerable directly from the regions; that is how we stop traffickers and smugglers from exploiting vulnerable people and children affected by conflict.By the end of this Parliament, we will have resettled 20,000 Syrian nationals through our Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme, one of the biggest resettlement schemes this country has ever undertaken, and a further 3,000 of the most vulnerable children and their families from the Middle East and North Africa region under the Vulnerable Children’s Resettlement Scheme.We have also pledged over £2.3 billion in aid in response to the events in Syria and the region. We have also committed over £100m of humanitarian support to help alleviate the Mediterranean migration crisis in Europe and North Africa and we have established a £10 million Refugee Children Fund for Europe to support the needs of vulnerable refugee and migrant children arriving in Europe.

Electronic Surveillance

lord paddick: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they plan to implement the provisions regarding the creation and collection of internet connection records as provided for by the Investigatory Powers Act 2016.

lord paddick: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what guidance and training they have issued to law enforcement agencies to enable them to make use of internet connection records.

lord paddick: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish the latest cost assessment of (1) set-up costs, and (2) annual running costs, for internet connection records.

baroness williams of trafford: Part 4 of the Investigatory Powers Act, which concerns the retention of communications data including internet connection records, came into force on 30 December 2016. The Government are in the process of working with telecommunications operators to implement these provisions.As is currently the case under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, a statutory code of practice will provide guidance to all relevant public authorities on the acquisition of communications data, including internet connection records, under the Investigatory Powers Act 2016. Drafts of codes of practice were published during the passage of the Act. These codes will be published for public consultation and will then be subject to Parliamentary approval using the affirmative procedure.The anticipated costs of implementing internet connection records were outlined in impact assessments published during the passage of the Investigatory Powers Act. These are available at www.gov.uk.

Technical Advisory Board (Investigatory Powers)

lord paddick: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many times the Technical Advisory Board has met since the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 received Royal Assent.

baroness williams of trafford: The Technical Advisory Board is a non-departmental public body which advises the Secretary of State on cost and technical grounds if a notice given under the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 is referred by a telecommunications operator for review.The Board was formed under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000; provisions in the Investigatory Powers Act will ensure the continued existence of this important safeguard. These provisions are yet to be commenced. Details of the extant Board may be found on its gov.uk website.

Technical Advisory Board (Investigatory Powers)

lord paddick: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish the membership of the Technical Advisory Panel as provided for by the Investigatory Powers Act 2016; and how many times the Panel has met.

baroness williams of trafford: The Investigatory Powers Act 2016 requires that the Investigatory Powers Commissioner appoint a Technology Advisory Panel to provide advice on technological changes and developments impacting on the exercise of investigatory powers for which the Commissioner provides oversight.Such advice will be provided to the Commissioner, the Secretary of State and the Scottish Ministers, and will ensure that, in these times of rapid technological changes, their advice will assist those considering whether applications to exercise these powers are necessary and proportionate in light of such changes, and to ensure they are exercised whilst minimising interference with privacy. An announcement on the appointment of the Commissioner will be made shortly, and once this appointment is made, it will be for the Commissioner to establish the Panel.

HM Treasury

Fuels: Tax Evasion

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many persons in the UK have been convicted of fuel laundering offences during the last three years for which figures are available; and in what regions of the UK were those offences committed.

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what volume of laundered fuel has been seized in the United Kingdom in the last three years for which figures are available.

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of how much revenue is being lost to HM Treasury as a result of fuel smuggling and laundering in the UK.

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking with the government of the Republic of Ireland to disrupt the activities of persons engaged in fuel laundering and smuggling in the border areas of both jurisdictions.

baroness neville-rolfe: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) operational data does not break down statistics for oils convictions to separate out those arising from fuel laundering. Total convictions for oils offences in the UK for the last complete three years for which figures are available were as follows: Convictions2013-142014-152015-16Northern Ireland9517Great Britain116Total UK10623  The latest tax gap figures published on 20 October 2016 estimate losses from all fuel fraud in the UK to be less than £100m in 2014-15. These estimates cannot be disaggregated by type of fraud such as smuggling or laundering. HMRC does not separately identify the amounts of laundered fuel seized as part of its activity to combat fuel fraud. HMRC works closely with the Revenue Commissioners in the Republic of Ireland to fight fuel fraud on a wide range of fronts. This multi-agency approach includes regular exchange of information and joint operational activity. Additionally, the UK has implemented an improved marker for rebated fuel, which is making it much harder to launder marked fuel and sell it at a profit. The Republic of Ireland has also introduced the same new marker.

Fuels: Tax Evasion

lord rogan: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much revenue was lost to HM Revenue and Customs due to (1) the smuggling of diesel oil from the Republic of Ireland, and (2) illegal fuel laundering within Northern Ireland, in financial year 2015–16.

lord rogan: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of the fuel market in Northern Ireland was made up of smuggled and fuel-laundered products in financial year 2015–16.

baroness neville-rolfe: The latest tax gap figures published on 20 October 2016 in ‘Measuring Tax Gaps 2016' estimate the 2014-15 market share for illicit diesel in Northern Ireland as 8%. This amounts to about £50m in lost revenue. Petrol fraud is negligible. These estimates cannot be disaggregated by type of fraud such as smuggling or laundering. Figures for 2015-16 will not be available until autumn 2017.

Non-domestic Rates

lord oakeshott of seagrove bay: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of (1) the total rateable value of commercial property (a) before, and (b) after, the current revaluation as at 1 April 2015, and (2) the percentage change as a result of the revaluation, in (i) each local authority area, (ii) each parliamentary constituency, and (iii) each standard region in England and Wales.

baroness neville-rolfe: 1 April 2015 is the point in time at which the rateable values are set, known as the antecedent valuation date. The new rating lists come into effect following revaluation after 1 April 2017. Official statistics were published on 6 October 2016 on the change in rateable values between the 2010 and 2017 rating lists following revaluation [1]. These include the change in percentage terms of the total rateable value for England, Wales and each region of England (Table RV1.1) and for local authorities (Table 1.0). Valuation Office Agency data is not held in a way that easily allows data to be shown by parliamentary constituency. [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/non-domestic-rating-change-in-rateable-value-of-rating-lists-england-and-wales-2017-revaluation

Non-domestic Rates

lord oakeshott of seagrove bay: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of (1) the total rateable value (a) before, and (b) after, the current business rate revaluation as at 1 April 2015, and (2) the percentage change as a result of the revaluation, of (i) office property, (ii) shop property, (iii) industrial and warehouse property, (iv) public house and restaurant property, (v) hotels, (vi) car showrooms, and (vii) supermarkets, for each standard region of England, and for the nations of England and Wales.

baroness neville-rolfe: 1 April 2015 is the point in time at which the rateable values are set, known as the antecedent valuation date. The new rating lists come into effect following revaluation after 1 April 2017. Official statistics were published on 6 October 2016 on the change in rateable values between the 2010 and 2017 rating lists following revaluation[1]. These includes the change in percentage terms of the total rateable value for England, Wales and each region of England (Table RV1.1) and by broad business sector (tables 1.1 to 1.4). Further information has also been published, consistent with the official statistics, providing the change in rateable value by business category and by region.[2].  [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/non-domestic-rating-change-in-rateable-value-of-rating-lists-england-and-wales-2017-revaluation [2] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/non-domestic-rating-2010-and-2017-revaluation-rateable-values-by-country-region-and-scat-code

Cabinet Office

Breast Cancer: Males

lord moonie: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the incidence of breast cancer in men; and whether it has changed over the last 20 years.

lord young of cookham: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply, and I will place a copy of their letter in the House Library.  



Response to HL5520
(PDF Document, 120.07 KB)

Department of Health

Medical Records

the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the NHS requires government departments and agencies, including the Department for Work and Pensions, the Health and Safety Executive and the Ministry of Defence, to pay for access to (1) patients’ medical records, and (2) other patient information, for use in legal proceedings, on the same basis as patients and lawyers representing patients.

lord o'shaughnessy: The National Health Service may provide patient medical records and other patient information to a range of organisations for different purposes where there is a legal basis to share this information. This is subject to relevant legislation, guidance and codes of practice such as the Data Protection Act, common law duty of confidence and Confidentiality: NHS Code of Practice. General practitioners (GPs) provide medical certificates covered by the National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts) Regulations 2004 without charge. They may charge a fee for other reports or requests for patient information. NHS Digital does not hold patient medical records in the same format as a GP or hospital. If NHS Digital is asked for a patient’s records or other patient information that it holds for use in legal proceedings by Government departments it will share this information if there is a legal basis to do so. It does not currently charge a fee for providing that information.

Oral Tobacco

viscount ridley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made towards introducing a standard for chewed tobacco products used by the UK South Asian community since being proposed in the 2006 study cited in the publication Tobacco Control, Levels of toxins in oral tobacco products in the UK.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Government has not yet developed standards for these tobacco products, however, even with reduced levels of toxins they would not be completely safe. The focus of the Government’s tobacco control efforts has therefore been on preventing initiation of tobacco use and supporting existing users of tobacco products to quit.

Drinks: Labelling

lord rennard: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have for public consultation on the labelling of low alcohol, alcohol-free, non-alcoholic and de-alcoholised drinks as part of the Food Information Regulations 2014.

lord rennard: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will ensure that the new guidelines to update the Food Information Regulations 2014 are reflective of modern manufacturing processes, provide consumers with the information they need to make informed decisions, and eliminate confusion for retailers.

lord rennard: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will consider simplifying the Food Information Regulations 2014 to allow UK producers to label their 0.5 per cent alcohol by volume or lower products alcohol-free in line with other countries.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Department has commissioned independent research to investigate consumer understanding, product appeal, selection and consumption in relation to the labelling of low/reduced alcohol products. This research team is due to report back in the spring of 2017. A decision will be taken on possible future consultation and regulations once the outputs of the research have been received and reviewed.

Fruit and Vegetables: Shortages

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Department of Health and the Department for Education have had discussions with supermarkets about the shortage in supply of fruit and vegetables.

lord o'shaughnessy: Neither Department has had any recent discussions with supermarkets about any shortage in supply of fruit and vegetables. The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is responsible for food supply.

Neurology

the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will ask the Joint Task Force responsible for overseeing the finalisation of the World Health Organisation International Classification of Disease ICD–11 to release, as a matter of urgency, the proposals of the Neurology Topic Advisory Group (Neurology TAG) for the classification of the ICD–10 G93.3 legacy terms for ICD–11.

lord o'shaughnessy: NHS Digital has advised that its officials have discussed this matter with their counterparts at the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO has confirmed that the latest version of the 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) includes the Topic Advisory Group for Neurology’s proposals. The WHO has also confirmed that the proposal submitted for chronic fatigue is currently with the relevant groups of the organisation to consider the scientifically-based placement of this condition in the classification. This will be included in the next version of ICD-11 to be released on 4 April 2017 for field testing.

Mental Health Services

baroness fall: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the meaning of "referred for urgent help" as used in the response to Recommendation 1 of their response to the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health, published on 9 January.

lord o'shaughnessy: The reference to “referred for urgent help” in the Government’s response to the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health about eating disorders, means people whose clinical presentation, in the judgement of the referring professional, should be seen by services quicker than the four weeks for routine cases.

Eating Disorders: Children and Young People

baroness fall: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many times a child or young person will need to be referred before receiving treatment, following the introduction of the new access and waiting times standards for children and young people with an eating disorder which come into force in April.

lord o'shaughnessy: The eating disorder referral to treatment standard states that by 2020, 95% of those referred for assessment or treatment for an eating disorder should receive National Institute for Health and Care Excellence concordant treatment within one week for urgent cases and within 4 weeks for every other case, as published in the Access and Waiting Time Standard for Children and Young People with an Eating Disorder. Therefore, the expectation will be that by 2020, for the great majority of cases, a child or young person will need to be referred only once to services. A copy of Access and Waiting Time Standard for Children and Young People with an Eating Disorder is attached.



Access and Waiting Time Standard for CYP
(PDF Document, 1.48 MB)

Eating Disorders: Children and Young People

baroness fall: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what guidelines (1) have been, or (2) will be, issued to enable relevant professionals to determine whether a child or young person is in need of treatment under the new access and waiting times standards for children and young people with an eating disorder which come into force in April.

lord o'shaughnessy: The NHS England document Access and Waiting Time Standard for Children and Young People with an Eating Disorder contains detailed guidance on establishing and maintaining a community eating disorder service. It contains information on services, pathways and timelines to help health professionals make decisions on the care that children and young people require. A copy of the guidance is attached.



Access and Waiting Time Standard for CYP
(PDF Document, 1.48 MB)

Drugs: Misuse

baroness smith of basildon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the recommendations from the expert group on drug-related deaths, published in September 2016.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Government welcomes the report and its recommendations, which are echoed by those of the Government’s Advisory Council on Drug Misuse. We are committed to preventing avoidable deaths and provide funding to local areas for a range of public health activity. Recommendations from the expert group on drug-related deaths, published in September 2016, included actions for local and national stakeholders, such as improved treatment provision and provision of naloxone, which has been shown to reduce rates of death due to overdose, and encouraging continued research and investigation into the causes of drug-related deaths. Public Health England (PHE) is supporting local areas to implement the local recommendations. It has accepted the recommendations for PHE and has a programme of work to deliver them. PHE is also leading discussions with relevant organisations on the implementation of the remaining recommendations.

Mental Health Services

baroness smith of basildon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Green Paper on mental health will be published; and on what areas of mental health policy it will focus.

lord o'shaughnessy: We plan to publish the Green Paper on children’s and young people’s mental health later this year.The Green Paper will focus on plans for transforming children’s and young people’s mental health across various settings including schools, universities and local communities.